Stacking device



May 5, 1970 G. A. MEER 3,509,839

STACKING DEVICE Filed 0G11. 9, 1968 wmv/f f I;

ATTORNEYS May 5, 1970 l G. A. MEIER 3,509,839

STACKING DEVICE Filed oct. 9, 1968 4 sheets-sheet 2 l /111 .zo 14o I INVEA/To R: 650265 A. 4E/ER,

FITTO EWE V5 May 5, 1970 G. A. MEIER 3,509,839

STACKING DEVICE Filed Oct. 9, 1968 5 -1 Sheets-Sheet 3 27 725 l' y /l 1 122 n/n n/n 2? 2 I @do b [i l fao 140` Af/5M 141 l mg 19? Z5 132 /39 l 165? 2Q@ 735 162 84 Lr rs 38 5525// l feo 50 79* 73 f 6'/ 78 205wv 19s INVENTOR: 65e/Q65 A. ME/ER,

G. A. MEIER STACKING DEVICE May 5, 1970 Patented May 5, 1970 3,509,839 STACKING DEVICE George A. Meier, Mountain View, M0., assigner to Angelica Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Oct. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 766,183 Int. Cl. DOSb 23/00 U.S. Cl. 112-12L29 12 Claims ABSTRACT F DISCLOSURE Brief description of the invention A drum is rotatable adjacent the edge of a sewing machine table. Articles which are sewn are joined by connecting threads, and the sewn articles are directed to the surface of the rotating drum. The surface of the drum is roughened so that articles can rotate with the drum. The drum rotates at a rate that moves its surface at a speed greater than the speed of movement of the articles being moved toward the drum.

A cut and clamp mechanism comprises a set of gripper teeth, and a cutting blade. The teeth and blade are carried by the drum and are operated by a control mechanism to swing through a cutting and clamping arc to rst cut the connecting threads and immediately thereafter clamp the separated material units to the drum. There may be a plurality of such cut and clamp mechanisms carried by the drum. The cut and clamp mechanism holds the unit against the drum and draws it past a rod which inverts the unit. Thereafter, the control mechanism causes the cut and clamp mechanism to release the unit for deposit into a collection basket.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the stacking device shown installed to operate with a table top or board used with a sewing machine.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the stacking device.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the stacking device as viewed from the right side of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the stacking device a viewed from the left side of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along the line 6 6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary View in section taken along the line 7 7 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along the line 3 8 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the left central portion of FIG; 1.

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 1(1 10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 11 11 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view similar to that of FIG. 10, but showing the mechanism control in a farther advanced condition.

FIG. 13 is a side elevation View similar to that of FIG. 12, but showing the mechanism control in a farther advanced condition.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view in section similar to that of FIG. 11, but showing the components in farther advanced positions corresponding to the positions of the mechanism control as shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a view in section similar to that of FIG. 10, but showing the mechanism control in position prior to the position reached as shown in FIG. 10, with dotted lines showing a farther advanced position.

FIG. 16 is a view in section similar to that of FIG. 1l, but showing the `positions of the components corresponding to the position of the mechanism control as shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation view of the pulley mounting over which the control rod adjusting band is trained.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the cut and clamp mechanism and mounting thereof.

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 19-19 of FIG. 18, with different positions shown in broken lines.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along the line 20 20 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 2l is a plan view of a lower piece of material to which another piece is to be sewed.

FIG. 22 is a plan view of the upper piece of material to be sewed to the piece of material shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a plan view of two stitched material units as they proceed from the sewing machine to the drum.

FIG. 24 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the right-hand unit of FIG. 23 advancing to the drum.

FIG. 25 is a diagrammatic view similar to that of FIG. 24, but showing a farther advanced position of the righthand unit of FIG. 23 during stitching of the left-hand unit.

FIG. 26 is a diagrammatic view similar to that of FIGS. 24 and 25, and showing the cut and clamp mechanism in cutting position.

FIG. 27 is a diagrammatic View showing the cut and clamp mechanism in clamping position.

FIG. 28 is a fragmentary diagrammatic View showing the material unit being drawn over the control rod.

FIG. 29 is a fragmentary diagrammatic View showing release of the material unit.

FIG. 30 is a diagrammatic View of the collection basket showing a large number of stitched units stacked in place.

Detailed description of the invention The stacking device 50 includes various parts that are mounted on a frame 51. The frame 51 may be in any suitable form, such as the channel stock illustrated, formed to a rectangle having sides 52 and 53, and top and bottom 54 and 55.

A pair of angle members 56 and 57 are bolted to the lower ends 0f the side frame members 52 and 53. Adjusting bolts 58 and 59 are threaded through the angle members 56 and 57, respectively, with the nose ends 60 of the bolts 58 and 59 resting in pivot wells 61 which are formed in a bar 62 that is bolted as at 64 to the floor F. This mounting permits the frame 51 to swing in an arc normal to the line of the bolts 58 and 59. The frame 51 can be leveled by adjusting the bolts 58 and 59.

A drum 65 is mounted between the sides 52 and 53 of the frame 51. The drum is mounted on shafts 66 and 67 that'are journaled in bearings 68 and 69 bolted to the sides of the frame members 52 and 53 (see FIG. 4). The drum is rotated by a motor 70, having a pulley 71 connected to its output shaft with a belt 72 wound about the pulley 71, and about another pulley 73. The pulley 73 is connected to the shaft 67 on which the drum 65 is mounted. The drum rotates in close proximity to a sewing machine table T on which a sewing machine SM operates. The drum 65 rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, with its upper surface moving away from the sewing machine table T.

The drum 65 comprises a cylinder 75 supported on spoked wheels 76 that are attached to the shafts 66 and 67. The outer surface 77 of the cylinder 75 is roughened or coarse so that it will frictionally engage fabrics. There are spaced bars 78 fastened by screws 79 to the cylinder 75.

T-wo cut and clamp mechanisms 81 and 82 are carried at diametrically opposite positions by the drum 65. Since the mechanisms are identical, only one need be described in detail. The cut and clamp mechanism 82 includes a cut and clamp assembly 83 mounted on a rod 84. (See FIGS. 18 and 19.) A bracket member 85 is strapped to the rod 84, and bent to the angle shown in FIG. 19. A clamp 86 and a knife blade 87 are fastened by bolts 88 to the bracket 85. The clam-p 86 has an aligned row of rounded gripper teeth 89 spaced from one another. The knife blade 87 has a cutting edge 90 that extends across and is exposed by the spaces between the teeth 89. However, the gripper teeth 89 project beyond the cutting edge 90 of the knife blade as clearly shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 which also show a pair of spaced thin plastic pads 91 aiixed to the surface 77 of the drum to protect the cut and clamp mechanism against damage.

The cut and clamp assembly 83 is operated by a control mechanism 93 (see FIGS. 10-16). The control mechanism 93 includes a roller 94 which is rotatably mounted on a plate 95. The plate 95 and a curved guide plate 96 are connected to the rod 84 by a bolt 97. The control mechanism 93 also includes a track 100 that is mountedby spokes 101, 102 and 103 to a hub 104. The hub 104 is loosely mounted on the shaft 66 so that the shaft can rotate within the hub 104. The track is prevented from rotating by a bracket 105 that is bolted or welded between the spoke 101 and the frame 51, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the track 100 extends through an arc of approximately 225 degrees between a leading edge 107, and a trailing edge 108. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the leading edge 107 of the track is formed by turning a flap 109 down from within a rectangular opening 110 that is in a short extension 111 of the track 100. The end 112 of the extension 111 constitutes a bridge and initiator for the control mechanism, as will be described hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the rod 84 extends through a spring guide 115 that comprises a tube 116 welded to a plate 117 that is fastened by bolts 113 to the drum cylinder 75. There is a slot 119 in the tube 116, and a bolt 120 that is threaded into the rod 84 is guided within the slot 119. A tension spring 121 is connected at one end to the bolt 120, and at the other end to a tab 132 turned upwardly from the plate 117. The spring 12.1 biases the rod 84 in a counterclockwise direction Vas viewed in FIG. 16, which biases the cut and clamp mechanism 83 in a counterclockwise direction toward the left dotted position illustrated in FIG. 19.

A horizontal bar 122 extends over the drum 65 from the upper end of the side frame member 53. The bar 122 is welded or bolted to the frame member 53, and it has a plurality of holes 123 spaced along its length. A pair of angle members 124 and 125 have vertical slots 126 and 127 so that the angle members 124 and 125 can be adjustably mounted to selected ones of the holes 123 by bolts 128 and 129. A flexible plastic flap 130 is fastened by bolts 131 to the horizontal section 132 of the angle member 124. The ap overlies the drum 65. Another flexible flap 133 is fastened by a pair of bolts 134 to the horizontal section 135 of the angle member 125. The

4 flap 133 lies under the flap 130 and overlies the drum 65. These aps assure proper feeding of fabrics being handled by the mechanism.

The frame 51 is pivotal about the bolt supports 58 and 59 to an adjusted position. The adjusted position is determined by a locator mechanism 138 that comprises a tie rod 139, having an end 140 pivotally mounted by a bolt 141 to the side member 53 of the frame 51. The other end 142 of the tie rod 139' is pivotally mounted by a rivet 143 to a bracket 144. (See FIG. 6.) The bracket 144 has a horizontal section 146 that is slidably positioned beneath a locking strip 147 that is mounted to the sewing machine table T. The locking strip 147 has a slot 148 in it. A locking knob 149 has an end 150 threaded into the horizontal section 146 of the bracket 144, with a larger diametered shoulder 151 overlying the plate 147 beyond the edges of the slot 148.

A rod 154 is welded to an arm 155 that is pivotally mounted on a 'bracket 156 (see FIG. 3). The bracket 156 is bolted to the side member 53 of the frame 51. The rod 154 extends parallel to the axis and spaced from the surface of the rotating drum 65. The arm has an upturned ange 157 to which the end of a strap 159 is welded or otherwise connected. The strap 159 is of flexible metal. It is guided about a pulley 160 which is mounted to the side member 53 of the frame 51 by a bracket 161 (see FIG. 17) and has a widened section 162 extending over the table T. As shown in FIG. 1, there are a plurality of holes 163 in the section 162 of the band 159. A bracket 164 is mounted to the table T. The bracket has an upstanding pin 165 by which the strap section 162 is selectively located. By changing which one of the holes 163 the pin 165 projects through, the rotative position of the arm 155 can be varied. This varies the position of the rod 154.

There is a basket assembly 168 for collecting materials deposited fro-rn the drum 65. The basket assembly 168 comprises a stand 169 having legs 170 that are preferably bolted to the floor F and having horizontal plates 171, or other supporting strips for supporting a collection basket 172. The collection basket 172 has sides 173 and ends 174, and its bottom 175 is slidable on the plates 171. There are side rails 176 fastened by suitable brackets 177 to the frame 169 to act as lateral guides for the basket 172.

A stop 179 bears against an end 174 of the basket 172 to position the basket 172. The stop 179 is mounted on an arm 180 that in turn is pivotally mounted on a bolt or rivet 181 affixed to the frame 169. An arm 182 has an end 183 pivotally mounted by a bolt 184 to a central portion of the arm 180. lThe other end 185 of the arm 182 is pivotally mounted by a bolt 186 to the side member 53 of the frame 51. Thus, as the frame 51 pivots, the arm 182 moves, thereby moving the arm 180 and adjusting the position of the stop 179.

A curved collector plate 188 is mounted on a pair of of rods 189 and 190. The rods 189 and 1901 have bent ends 191 and 192 that are journaled in brackets 193 mounted on the bottom 175 of the basket 172. A pair of springs 194 bias the rods 189 and 190, and therefore the collector plate 188 toward an upward position as illustrated in FIG. 3. This movement of the collector plate 188 keeps the top of the stack of finished units at approximately uniform distances from the drum surface. Also, in its lowermost position, the collector plate 188 may actuate an alarm (not shown) to indicate the basket 172 is full.

Finally, a channel 197 may be provided for resting upon the sewing machine table T. The channel 197 has a bottom Wall 198 and side walls 199. A bar 200 extends between the side walls 199 and is spaced above the bottom wall 198. The channel is disposed between a pair of guide plates 202, and can be moved by the sewing machine operator, its purpose being to guide the sewn materials between its side walls 199 and below the bar 200.

Operation An operator operates the sewing machine SM in the conventional lmannef to sew pieces of material together. The kinds and shapes of materials that are to be sewn and stacked by the stacking device 50 can be greatly varied and are not themselves part of this invention. However, FIGS. 21 through 23 illustrate an example of materials that are sewn and stacked. In this example, two pieces of material 203 and 204 are sewn together along stitched line 205 to form a sewn unit 206. Upon completion of sewing the seams 205, there are thread connections 207 to another sewn unit 208 that also comprise the two sheets of material 203 and 204 sewn together along a sewing line 209. To stack the sewing units 206 and 208, and numbers of similar units, the connecting threads 207 between adjacent units must be cut and the units must thereafter be stacked. Hence, the sewing machine operator sews the units 206 and 208 and succeeding ones in series and feeds them across the channel 197 between its sides 199 and beneath the rod 200.

As the drum 65 is rotated by operation of the motor 70, its upper surface is always moved in a direction away from the table T. The drum v65 rotates at a greater surface speed than the speed of'feeding the sewn units 206 and 208. Therefore, there are many revolutions of the drum 65 during which no sewn unit 206 or 208 is in position for a cutting and clamping operation. In these cases, the cut and clamp mechanism simply moves past the flexible flaps 133 and 130, raising them, and also past any portion of sewn units 206 and 208.

As the cut and clamp mechanism, such as the mecha-` nism 82, is carried by the drum 65, the mechanism 83 is sequentially moved from the left dotted position of FIG. 19 through the solid position to the right dotted position. However, if there is no thread 207 exposed to the spaces 4between the `grippers 89, the knife edge 90 is ineifective to do any cutting because the grippers 89 push the cloth pieces up and out of the way. Such a condition is shown in a sequence illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25 where sewing by the sewing machine needle 210 is taking place on threads 207 between the material units 206 and 208, and the unit 206, which has just been sewn, is only initially fed to the drum `65. In this condition, the cut and clamp assembly 82 will pass beneath the material unit 206, and as the assembly rotates, the grippers 89 will simply push the unit 206 up and out of the way so that, as the material isl fed farther onto the drum `65 and is carried around with the drum as permitted by the rate of sewing of the next unit 208, the unit 206 is not held by the cut and clamp assembly 82.

As the sewing continues, permitting the material unit 206 to be drawn farther around the dru-rn 65 to the position illustrated in FIG. 26, the thread connection 207 between the units of 206 and 208 reaches the point at which it is in the path of swinging movement of the cut and clamp mechanism 82. Therefore, as the cut and clamp mechanism 82 rotates under the influence of the control mechanism 93, the thread connection 207 is deflected by the gripper teeth `89 into one of the spaces between adjacent gripper teeth and is cut by the knife edge 90 of the cutting blade 87. Since the surface of the cylinder 75 is roughened, and since this cutting action takes place while most of the material unit 206 is positioned on an upper portion of the surface of the drum 65, the material unit 206 does not fall from the drum 65. Furthermore, since the cut and clamp mechanism 83 continues to rotate to the right dotted position of FIG. 19, the material unit 206 is immediately clamped by the gripper teeth 89 engaging the trailing edge of the material unit 206.

With the gripper teeth 89 now engaging and holding the material unit 206, the dr-um -65 continues to rotate, and the material unit 206 begins to fall by gravity past the control rod 154, and into the basket 172, as illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27. However, at this point, the gripper teeth do not release the material unit 206, and the mate- 6 rial unit is drawn over the control rod 154 as illustrated in FIG. 28. This Orients the material unit 206 in the same manner as its orientation when sewed by the sewing machine SM. Finally, the gripper teeth of the cut and clamp mechanism release the material unit 206, and it is deposited on the collector plate 188, as illustrated in FIG. 29. The drum 65 continues to rotate until another material unit 208 reaches the position for being cut from the following material unit, and for being handled by the stacking device as before described.

Cutting of the thread connection between adjacent material units and thereafter clamping the separated material unit is done by rotation of the cut and clamp assembly y83 through the positions illustrated in FIG. 19 from left to right. This rotation occurs when the shaft 84 rotates, the shaft 84 being common to the control mechanism 93 of FIGS. 10 through 16.

The cut and clamp mechanism is biased to the left dotted position of FIG. 19 by the spring 121 which tends to rotate the shaft 84 to the position illustrated in FIG. 16. This rotation under the biasing of the spring 121 is possible so long as the roller 94 and initiator plate 96 have not reached the extension 111 of the cylinder 100, as illustrated in the full line position of FIG. 15. However, as one of the cut and clamp mechanisms 81 or 82 reaches a position near the uppermost are of travel corresponding to the position of the cut and clamp mechanism `82 illustrated in FIG. 5, the guide plate 96 reaches the initiator plate 111 and starts pivoting of the control mechanism 93, as indicated by the dotted line position of FIG. 15. As this initial rotation starts to take place, the shaft 84 begins rotation as the opening 110` permits the roller 94 to swing downwardly into a position opposite the leading edge 107 of the track 100. (See the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 12.) Further rotation of the drum 65 draws the roller 94 upwardly to further rotate the control mechanism 93 to the solid position illustrated in FIG. l2 against the force of the biasing spring 121 until the roller 94 nally rides on the surface 100 of the track as illustrated in FIG. 13. This rotates the shaft 84 to the opposite condition as illustrated in FIG. 14, rotating the cut and clamp mechanism 83 to the right dotted position illustrated in FIG. 19.

FIG. 30 illustrates how a stack of a large number of material units are positioned on the collector plate 188, and how as this stack builds up, the springs 194 stretch and permit the collector plate 188 to descend. Each of the material units forming the stack of FIG. 30 has been oriented by the control rod 154 corresponding to the orientation of the material unit as it is sewn.

This stacking device 50 can be adjusted for dierent sizes of material units being sewed and stacked. For these adjustments, the drum 65 can be moved by swinging the frame 51 about its bolt supports 60. Moving the frame is done by loosening the locking knob 149 so that the bracket 144 can slide relative to the lock strip 147.

When the desired position of the drum 65 has been reached, the knob 149 is again tightened. At the same time, or separately, the frame 51 can be aligned by adjusting one or both of the bolts 58 and 59 on which the frame 59 is mounted. Also, whenever the drum 65 is adjusted in position, or sometimes for independent reasons, the rod 154 may be adjusted. This is done by changing the selection of a hole 163 in the strap 162 into which the pin 165 projects. Each time the strap 162 is adjusted, the rod is pivoted, and this changes the position of the control rod 154.

Each time the frame is pivoted, thereby pivoting the position of the drum 65, it is desirable that the basket 172 be moved so that its position will be proper with respect to the drum 65. This is done automatically by the connections to the stop 179. As the frame 151 pivots, the arm 182 is moved and rotates the arm 180, This adjusts the position of the stop 172 against which the basket 172 is positioned.

Also, the flexible flaps 130 and 133 which hold the material units against the drum 65 can be adjusted and positioned. They can be adjusted in elevation by sliding as permitted by the slots 126 and 127. They can be adjusted horizontally by changing which ones of the holes 123 they are connected to.

Various changes and modications may be made within this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as dened by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A stacking device comprising a drum, a frame for rotatably supporting the drum on a horizontal axis, means to rotate the drum, a cut and clamp mechanism carried by the drum, means on the cut and clamp mechanism for cutting threads connected between sewn material units, means on the cut and clamp mechanism for clamping a material unit against the surface of the drum subsequent to cutting the the thread connecting that unit to an adjacent unit, means to operate the cut and clamp mechanism as aforesaid controlled by the rotated position f the drum, and means controlled by the rotated position of the drum to cause the cut and clamp mechanism to release the material unit.

2. The stacking device of claim 1 including means to invert the material unit prior to its release by the cut and clamp mechanism.

3. The stacking device of claim 2 wherein the last named means comprises a rod supported in spaced position relative to the drum, and extending in a direction parv 8 for the basket, the adjusting means comprising an articulated connection between the frame and the stop for the basket.

7. The stacking device of claim 1 wherein the means to operate the cut and clamp mechanism comprises a stationary track adjacent the drum, a roller assembly, a shaft, the cut and clamp mechanism, and roller assembly being mounted on the shaft, the roller being in the path of the track, the track having leading and trailing ends to control the rotational position of the shaft by controlling the position of the roller.

8. The stacking device of claim 1 wherein the cut and clamp mechanism comprises a plurality of spaced, aligned gripper teeth, a knife blade extending into the spaces between the gripper teeth but short of the ends of the gripper teeth, and means connecting the gripper teeth and knife blade to the operating means.

9. The stacking device of claim 1 wherein the surface'of the drum is roughened.

10. The stacking device of claim 1 wherein the rotational speed of the drum is unsynchronized with the rate of feeding material units to the drum.

11. The stacking device of claim 1 including flexible flap means overlying the drum for smoothing wrinkles in the material units fed to the drum and for controlling the position of cloth during the cut and clamp operation.

12. The stacking device of claim 11 including means to adjust the positions of the ilexible flap means relative to the drum.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,061,432 11/ 1936 McCulloh 112--252 2,499,570 3/1950 Crafts 83-154 X 2,969,981 1/1961 Faeber 271-82 2,985,122 5/1961 Abel et al. 112-12129 X 3,329,110 7/1967 Bergeron ll2,-l'2l.1l

ALFRED R. GUEST, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 271-88 

